Hydrocarbon-motor.



A. H. KNIGHT.

HYDROGARBON MOTOR.

APPL'IUATION FILED M1115, 1912.

1,131,936, Patented Mar.16.1915.

/7 /9 a JZ'QJ' ALFRED H. mGHT, GF DETROIT, MICHIGAN', SSEGNOR '.1130 PAUW@ MTR,

COMPANY, 0F DETRQET, MICHGAN,

e conroraarron 'or monteert.

HYDROCARBON-MQTOR.

hppllcationled April 15, 1913 Serial its.' @90,'e-

To all wwm t may concern.'

Be 1t lmown that l, ALFRED H. KNIGHT,

'a citizen of the the United States, and resi dent of Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Hydrocarbon-lillotors, of Whichthe following is a specilication.

This invention, relates to hydrocarbon motors and more particularly to the ignition systems thereof.

lin the use of hydrocarbon motors for motor vehicles and motor boats,- it is custernary to provide both a battery and a magneto for the ignition. l rEhe current generated by the battery and the magneto is usually conducted to a transformer coil which raises the voltage so that high tension currentis available for producing sparks in the cylinder. rllhe high tension current is lcd from the transformer coil through a distributer which is usually associated with the magneto and which distributes the current to the different cylinders. ln many systems it is customary to provide switches in the circuits .leading to the spark plugs of the cylinders,

for the purpose of conveniently cutting out one or more of the cylinders in making tests on the motor. lt has been found that when the motor is running with any of these switches open, there' being no outlet for the high tension current, the voltage tends to build up to such an extent that there is danger of breaking down the insulation in the transformer coils or other parts of the high tension circuit. ln arranging the ignition circuits one side vof each circuit is usually grounded on the motor frame and cyl inders, and in the present invention in order to avoid the danger of breaking down the insulation when any of the switches are open, l have provided means for grounding the switches on the motor cylinder when they are opened. p

The novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of the upper part of a four-cylinder hydrocarbon motor: Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one Specificationot Letters llatent.

. larged scale; Fig. 3 is Patented Maar. Mi, 115117115..

of the switches shown in Fig. 1, on an lenan elevation showing a modification of the invention; Fig. t is an end elevation of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, 10 and 11 indicate the cylinder castings, the cylinders being preferably cast in pairs und each cylinder provided with a spark plug. ln Fig. l these spark plugs are indicated by the nlunerals 12, 13, 1-1 and` 15. rihe cylinders are preferably water jacketed and provided lwith outlets 16 for the purpose of discharging the water from the jackets to a suitable conduit leading to the radiator or other cooling device.

Any preferred forni of ignition system. may be used such as that described in the patent to Loomis No. 1,011,917, dated December 19, 1911. For the purpose of illustration l have shown in Fig. 1 a system of conductors in which l? may be a high tension conductor leading from the transformer coil (not shown) to the distributer (not shown) and 18 may be the low tension conductor leading from the magneto {not shown) to the primary coil of the trans former. From the distributor conductors 19., 20, il and 22, lead to the spark plugs l2, 13, 1l und l5 respectively. in the spark plug circuits 1 arrange suitable switches and as shown in the drawings l have indicated. these. switches as contacting directly with one terminal of the spark plugs. rlhis terminal is connected with one electrode of the plug and the other electrode is usually at-V tached to n shell or a metallic part of the plug constituting the other terminal with which the ignition circuit is electrically ccnnected.

For the purpose of supporting the `conductors and the switches, the cylinders may be provided with upwardly extending brackets 23 to which are secured the insulators 21 in any suitable manner, as by ineens of the screws 25. The insulators 2-trnay be provided with openings 26 for/thc conductors. Each of the insulators carries, preferably at the top thereof, a l'iraclret 2T to which may be pivoted a member 2S, the latter having pivotally connected therewith a switch 29, the pivot of said switch being preferably arranged at right angles to the pivot connecting the member 28 and the bracket 27. This arrangement permits the switch 29 to have lpractically a universal movement. rlhe switch 29 comprises two spaced side plates which are secured to a handle 30 and which are adapted to engage tllie sides of the terminal 31 of the spark p ug.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2, an arm 32 may be mounted on the insulator 24 and secured thereto by means of one ol the screws 25, sol that the screw will constitute an electrical connection between the arm and the bracket 23. The arm 32 may extend upwardly and have at its upper end an arc-shaped is adapted tobe engaged y-a downwardly projecting nger 34 onthe member 28', when the latter is swung on its pivotal connection with the bracket 27, in lifting the switch 29 out of contact with the terminal 31. 'lhe relation of the portion 33 of the arm 32 and the finger 3,4 is such that the nger will contact with the portion 33 just before or immediately after the switch 29 moves out of contact with the terminal 3l. When the linger 3l is in contact with the arm 32, the current is short circuited to the ground con nection and all liability ot burning out the insulation ont the transformer coils is eliminated. l

ln the modification shown in Figs. 3 and Li, the switch 29 may be of the same construction as that shown in Fig. 2, but the short circuiting device is somewhat lidercnt and consists of a bracket 35 which is preferably secured to the cylinder casting by means of the spark plug and entends upwardly along the side ot the latter and has at its top a downwardly projecting lll-shaped portion 36 which is arranged directly `above the switch 29 so that it will be engaged by the switch immediately after the switch moves out oi contact with the spark plug terminal 3l. ln both oi the modifications illustrated, the insulator 2t may be provided at its top with a binding post 3l which is electrically connecmd with the bracket 27 and `forms a point oi attachment iler the high tension conductor.

While l have illustrated two forms of the inyention, it will be readily understood that the invention may be carried out in various ways which come within the scope ci' the appended claims and therefore ll do not wish to be limited to the details of construction shown and described.

Having thus described myinvention what l claim is,

l. ln a hydrocarbon motor provided with a spark plug and an ignition circuit connected with the spark plug, the combination ci' means for opening and closing said igniortion 33 which menace tion circuit, and means whereby the circuit opening and closing means is adapted t0 short circuit the ignition current around said'spark plug when the ignition circuit is open.

2. In ahydrocarbon motor provided with a spark lug and an ignition circuit connect'ed with the spark plug, the combination of a switch for opening and closing said circuit, and means adapted to be engaged by said switchwhen in open position whereby the current is short circuited around the s ark plug.

3.y ln a hy rocarbon motor provided with a spark plug and an ignition circuit, the combination of a Vswitch in said circuit and adapted to engage one terminal of the spark plug, and a short circuiting device electrically connected with the other terminal of the'spark plug and adapted to be engaged by said switch when the latter is moved out of engagement with the spark plug.

ll. ln a hydrocarbon motor provided with a spark plug, having one terminal thereof grounded on the motor cylinder, the combination of a switch, an ignitionrcircuit having one side thereof grounded on said cylinder andthe other side thereof connected with said switch, and a short circuiting device grounded on said cylinder, said switch being adaptedto be moved into engagement with said spark plug and said short circuitin device.

5. ln a multiple cylinder hydrocarbon engine having a spark plug for each cylinder and a separate ignition circuit for each park plug, the combination of independent evices tor opening and closing each oi' said circuits, 'and means whereby the circuit opening and closing devices are adapted to short circuitthe ignition current around the spark plugs when their circuits are open.

6. ln a multiple'cylinder hydrocarbon engine having a spark plug for each cylinder and a separate ignition circuit for each spark plug, the combination of independent switches in each of said circuits, and means adapted to be engaged by the .switches whereby the ignition current may be short circuited around the spark plugs.

7. ln a hydrocarbon motor provided with a spark plug and an ignition circuit, the combination of a switch in said circuit adapted to engage one terminal ol the spark plug, and a member in ned relation to the spark plug and electrically connected with the other terminal thereof and adapted to be electrically connected with the switch when the latter is moved out of engagement with the spark plug terminal.

3. ln a hydrocarbon motor provided with a spark plug and an iition circuit, the combination oi a switch in said circuit adapted to engage one terminal of the spark plug, an arm held in hired .relation to the llo mame@ spark plug and electrically connected with lln testimony whereof ll ax my signatme the other terminal thereof, and means elecin presence of two Witnesses.

trically connected With said switch and ALFRED H. KNIGHT. adapted to be moved into Contact with said Witnesses: arm when the switch is moved out of en- W, H. FINCKEL, Jr.,

gagement with the spark plug terminal. G. A. SCHROEDER. 

